Environmental pollution and human rights violations in Katanga’s copper and cobalt mines
This research reveals new evidence of human rights violations and environmental negligence and argues that abuses caused by Katangas industrial mining industry are not only serious, but also structural. By researching seven Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) cobalt and copper mining operations and the companies in charge of the operations, SOMO and their DRC partners ACIDH, Afrewatch, and Premicongo found that these companies are responsible for damaging the environment, destroying livelihoods, and exposing communities to security risks and violent conflict.
In addition, the report describes how companies in the supply chain of Congolese cobalt and copper, as well as governments connected to these minerals, have failed to ensure that human rights are respected. The report concludes by providing recommendations on how these actors can work towards improving practices in the DRCs mining industry.
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